The Opposite House: A Novel — page 220: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Opposite House. 215 She sank beside his couch; her timid glance pleaded for mercy, and tears streamed upon her clasped hands; the flickering firelight danced over her emaciated features. “You do not know the association with that flower, Heloise,” murmured the young officer, in a hollow tone. “ You are mistaken if you think it was a gift from Marie. When I put the flower into the case, I neither knew her nor dreamed how ter- rible the consequences of such a memento might become.”’ “Not from Marie?” escaped her lips; her feat- ures expressed mortal anxiety. ‘Good heavens! What was it, then ?”’ “The last legacy of a dead woman !” said Trau- gott, with marked emphasis. ‘The blossom was from my mother’s coffin !” A low cry reached his ears. Heloise was on her knees, with her blanched face hidden in her hands. There was no sound, only a slight tremor shook the black-robed form. At last she looked up at him, with a strange light sparkling in her eyes. “Then forgive me, for the sake of my soul, which this flower has saved for the kingdom of heaven !” Gerrald clasped her hand closely in his own. “Forgotten and forgiven, Heloise !” he said, gen- tly. “ You have faithfully atoned for your error; Comiclbooolk<s